Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41426572›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in medicine2025

Case Report: Successful treatment of severe type II decompression sickness characterized by multiple gas emboli.

Yan Wang, Yujie Wang, Shuping Li, Donghua Ai, Yubo Chen, Mei Jing

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Yan Wang *Naval Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Yujie Wang *The Second Hospital of the Navy of the Southern Theater Command, Sanya, China.
Shuping LiNaval Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Donghua AiThe Second Hospital of the Navy of the Southern Theater Command, Sanya, China.
Yubo ChenThe Second Hospital of the Navy of the Southern Theater Command, Sanya, China.
Mei JingNaval Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Decompression sickness (DCS) is usually caused by inadequate decompression. Although adherence to decompression protocols can significantly reduce the incidence of DCS, it still cannot prevent all cases from occurring. If a large number of gas bubbles enter the right heart and pulmonary arterial system, patients may present with symptoms such as cough, tachypnea, chest pain, dyspnea, or even shock. The presence of numerous bubbles in the abdominal cavity and portal venous system may also lead to liver dysfunction or abdominal pain. Theoretically, DCS occurring after dives that follow decompression tables should be relatively mild. The development of severe Type II DCS characterized by multiple gas emboli following protocol adherence is considered rare. Case presentation: We report a case of a diver who developed severe Type II DCS characterized by multiple gas emboli despite conservative adherence to a decompression protocol. The maximum dive depth was 19 meters, with a total dive duration of 120 min. His underwater task involved heavy lifting, and he performed decompression conservatively according to the Chinese Air Diving Decompression Table for decompression, with a total decompression time of 45 min. However, 30 min after surfacing, the patient developed symptoms including chest tightness, shortness of breath, dyspnea, fatigue, and pain in the left knee and thigh. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest and abdomen revealed gas emboli in multiple locations, including the pulmonary artery, right ventricle, and hepatic portal vein. The patient recovered completely after timely recompression therapy and was discharged. Conclusion: This report highlights the unpredictability of DCS; even when decompression tables are followed, severe Type II DCS may occur if the diver's underwater workload is excessive and multiple risk factors are present. Prompt recompression therapy is crucial to prevent clinical deterioration. Due to the limitations of current DCS models, further research is needed to develop individualized safe decompression protocols based on physiological variables.

Indexed as

decompression protocolsdiving operationmultiple gas embolirecompression therapytype II decompression sickness

Identifiers

PMID41426572
PMCPMC12714909

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.